Macomb County dries out from overnight storms

Macomb County residents continued to dry out Wednesday after a series of overnight thunderstorms packing heavy rain and gusty winds blew through the region, knocking out electricity to thousands of homes and businesses and flooding several low-lying areas.

The storms caused traffic signals to malfunction on several local roads and highways during the morning rush hour. Motorists encountered traffic signal problems at 13 Mile Road and Ryan, Groesbeck Highway and Metro Parkway, and Groesbeck and Harrington Road. An area north of where Kelly Road crosses Groesbeck in Fraser was flooded, forcing drivers to slow to a crawl.

DTE Energy reported approximately 8,000 power outages in southeastern Michigan as of 5 p.m. Wednesday. DTE officials were not able to provide an exact number for Macomb County, but the utility’s online outage map indicated a handful of scattered outages.

Dan Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Bureau in White Lake Township, said Macomb County was hit with 2 inches of rain in most areas when the storm hit between midnight-3 a.m.

“There was some flooding in the southern parts of Macomb County,” Thompson said.

Figures provided by the weather service shows Macomb County had the most rainfall in the tri-county region:

* Mount Clemens — 3 inches.* Clinton Township — 2.03.

* Utica - 1.82. * Shelby Township - 1.52.

So far in July, Macomb County has seen 2.5 inches of rain fall, some 1.58 inches above normal, according to Thompson. For the first six months of 2013 the area has had 23.36 inches of rain, 6.38 inches above normal. Last year Macomb County had 15.21 inches of rain.

The downpour flooded roads in the Willow Point Mobile Home Park in Harrison Township.

Robert Slek, who lives with his sister, said Wednesday’s deluge caused the worst flooding he has ever seen. He said whenever it rains hard, the streets get flooded and water goes up to the steps leading into the mobile homes.

“The water from the rain on Gratiot Avenue backs up and it flows into our community,” said Michelle Marsili, manager of the mobile home park. “I have been in contact with the Michigan Department of Transportation and they are trying to help alleviate the problem.

“Hopefully MDOT and the county can work to get the drain that runs along our community cleaned up.”

While the cleanup continues, a more stable air mass is expected to bring drier, less humid weather in the next few days.

A cold front will gradually move through the state Thursday, forcing out muggy conditions, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. The forecast calls for temperatures in the low 80s on Friday and Saturday and upper 80s on Sunday.